Salt and pepper shaker



July 21, 1936. GQNEN ET AL 2,048,118

SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Filed June 26, 1954 INV ENTOR S ATTOR EY Patented July 21, 1936 SALT AND PEPPER SHAKER Hyman Gonen and Isaac Grodsky, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application June26, 1934, Serial No. 732,406

1 Claim.

. Ourpresent invention relates to condiment dispensers, such as salt and pepper shakers and the like. 1

"The principal object of the present invention ;is to provide a valve-like cap or closure for a salt or'pepper container'which covers and closes the mouth of the container when it is held in normal upright position, said cap or closure having dispensing apertures therein for the passage of the condiment, which apertures are normally covered and are uncovered only when the container is inverted or tilted from its normal position. Another object of the present invention is to provide a closure for a salt or pepper shaker which will prevent the entrance of dust into the condiment container and which will protect the contents of the container against atmospheric impurities. is to provide a closure for a salt or pepper shaker for the aforesaid purposes, which may be easily attached to and removed from the condiment container when refilling and cleaning is required. 'A still further object of the present invention is to provide a salt or pepper shaker which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture,

' practical in use and attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will in part be pointed out hereinafter and will in part be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming an integral part of this specification.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein are illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the present invention,

. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a salt or pepper shaker constructed in accordance with our invention, shown in normal upright position;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the salt or pepper shaker in inverted position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of an embodiment of the present invention, showing a metallic cover for the neck of the shaker; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a modified form of the closure member of the shaker.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, Ill designates the condiment container which is the usual hollow receptacle having a longitudinal passageway II at its upper end. The container I0 preferably terminates at its upper end in a neck I2 providing Another object of the present invention an annular inturned flange I3 on the inner wall of the container Ill between the body and neck of the container; the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. Mounted on the container I3 is a cap or closure member I4 comprising preferably a spherical shaped head I5 and a multiplicity of prongs I6 arranged circumferentially on the head I5 and depending longitudinally therefrom into the passageway II in the neck of the condiment container.- The head I5 is slightly larger in diameter than the passageway Ii so that the head I5 rests on the marginal edge of the neck I2 when the shaker is in normal upright position, and covers the passageway II. The circumferential diameter of the prongs I6 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the passageway II so that the prongs I6 are in sliding contact with the wall of the opening II. The prongs I6 are in spaced relationship on the head I5 forming slits I'I therebetween which serve to provide the dispensing apertures for the condiment as hereinafter described. The prongs I6 are preferably slightly longer than the neck I2 and extend slightly below the flange I3. The tips I8 of the prongs I6 are flexed outwardly so that when the shaker is inverted the tips I8 will impinge against the flange I3 thereby preventing the closure member I4 from dropping out of the condiment container and limiting the vertical displacement of the closure member I4 to a predetermined distance.

The cap or closure member I4 is preferably made of one piece of metal with the head I5 hollow and the prongs I6 integral with the head as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing. However, the construction of the closure member may be varied as illustrated in Fig. 4 to comprise a solid head l9 made of glass or other suitable material, and metallic prongs 20 secured to the head as by a rivet 2|. This modification in the construction of the closure member may be resorted to without departing from the principle and scope of the present invention, as essentially the structure isthe same. A solid glass head for the closure member may be employed with advantage for ornamental purposes, as for instance when it is desired to have the head of the closure member match with the color or material of the condiment container. v

In Fig. 3 of the drawing we have shown the neck I2 of the condiment container provided with a metallic covering 22 which may be threaded or cemented onto the neck of the container. This construction is also ornamental in character and, it is believed, does not change the principle of the present invention; 'The metallic covering 22 may be employed advantageously with the allmetal closure member to provide a salt or pepper shaker of attractive appearance.

It will be observed in the use of the present device that theclosure member I4 may be easily inserted into the pass'ageway ll inthe condiment container by merely pressing the prongs I6 thes'atmosphere; When it is desired to use the throughsaid passageway; th p o gs 16 being of Spring -1ike character y ie'ld easily to pressur In like manner the closure member M may be easily removed from engagement with the containenhy grasping thehead IS with the fingers and pulling the closure member out of the passageway =11.

It will, therefore, be apparent that the present device is exceedingly convenient andpractical when refilling andcleaning of the condiment dispenser is required. 7 a

' As will be observed from Fig. 1 of the .drawing,

wherein our improved device is shown in normal upright position, the'head 1510f the closure mem berirestsion Ethe marginal e'dgeof-theneck Iii-and covers the passageway ill therein, thus prevent ingithe entrance of. dust into the containerand,

protecting the-condiment against impurities from shakersto dispense the :condiment contained therein, the :shaker .is inverted as shown in' Fig. 2

of. the drawing. When that is done, it'will be observed that the closure member will be caused V to dropslightly and the slits l between the prongs .lsfi will besslightly' uncovered-thus provide ing :aperinues -'th1:oug h which the condirn'ent 'can' V flow as indicated by the am-0W5. i

Although our present invention is essentially r as described hereinabove and illustrated inJthe accompanying drawing; it is to be understood 7 that we do'not intend tolimit ourselves to the specific embodiments of our invention'as 'de: 5 V scribed and illustrated but that slight variations in the details of construction are contemplated which will fall within the'scope of our present invention as defined in thelappendedclaim.

Having thus described and illustra'ted our pres-10 ent invention, what we claim; as new and desire ltoesecure by Letters Patent ist In a salt or pepper shaker, the combination with a container having a longitudinal passage- 7 way therein, 0f.-a valve-like closure member lonl5 1 Ggi'tudinally slidable'within said passageway-,'said closure member being formed of a single piece of metal and having ahead portion adapted to be normally seated on top of the shaker so as to 7 close the; opening therein, and a multiplicity of 20 7 depending prongs adapted for contradt'ion' whereby they maybe readily inserted into and withdrawn fromithe'opening, th'tips of saidprongs being flexed outwardly to provide limiting fingers to prevent =accidental displacement of the c1osure member from the openinasaid'prongs"having spaces'therebetween WhichFa-re normally covered and which are slightly uncovered when the ings for the "condiment.

shaker -i=s in use so astoprovide--dispensing open-V r W r "-ISMG GRODSKY; 

